Edge emitting semiconductor laser diodes with ridge waveguide geometry (ridge waveguide laser diodes) typically have a web-type region provided, in particular, for wave guiding in a lateral direction. In order to produce the web-type region, semiconductor material may be removed in regions by means of an etching method, wherein the etching depth may be set by way of the duration of the etching process. In this case, inhomogeneities of the material composition and of the thickness of the semiconductor material which occur in a lateral direction, for instance on account of fluctuations in the production process, make it more difficult to effect uniform and reproducible formation of a web-type region with a predetermined height. This may lead to fluctuations in operating characteristic variables for the semiconductor lasers, for instance in the laser threshold, the gradient of the power-current characteristic curve and the mode behavior.